market penetration

Definition

The extent to which a product or service is sold relative to the total potential market. A metric measuring how deeply you've infiltrated your target demographic, phrased in vaguely aggressive terms.

Example Usage

We've achieved 15% market penetration in the Northeast but need to expand to other regions.

Origin

Marketing strategy terminology developed in the mid-20th century, notably by Igor Ansoff in 1957

Fun Fact

Market penetration is one of four growth strategies in the Ansoff Matrix, and the only one that makes marketing meetings sound like military operations.

Source: Marketing and business strategy terminology

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